Combination trunk and wardrobe.



No. 668,864. Patented Feb. 26, |90l. P. J. WATSON. COMBINATION TRUNK AND WARDROBE.

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WITNESSES Patented Feb. 26, I90l. P. J.- WATSON. COMBINATION TRUNK AND WAROROBE.

(Application filed Jul 31, 1900.

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PETER JAMES'WATSON, OF WEEHAVVKEN, NEW JERSEY.

COMBINATION TRUNK AND WARDROBE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 668,864, dated February 26, 1901.

Application filed July 31. 1900. Serial No. 25,390. 0 model- To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, PETER JAMES WATSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at WVeehawken, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and nsefullmprovementsinaCombination Trunk and Wardrobe, of which the following is a full and complete specification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to combination trunks and wardrobes; and the object thereof is to provide an improved device of this class comprising an ordinary trunk with wardrobe attachments and which may be employed as an ordinary trunk when desired and converted into a wardrobe whenever necessary.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated by the same numerals of reference in each of the views, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a trunk provided with my improved wardrobe attachments,the trunk being shown open and adapted for use as a wardrobe; Fig. 2, a cross-section of the trunk with the wardrobe attachments folded, in which position of the parts my improvement is adapted for use as an ordinary trunk, said section being taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3; Fig. 3, a longitudinal sec tion on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 a cross-section of a detail of the construction on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings forming part of this specification I have shown at 5 an ordinary trunk provided with a hinged cover 6, and within the trunk and at a predetermined distance from the top thereof, preferably six or eight inches, are placed side and end cleats 7, which are secured to the side and end walls of the trunk and on which is placed an inner partition or supplemental cover 8,Which is hinged to one of the side cleats, as shown at 9 in Fig. 2. The side and end cleats 7 are provided each with a rabbet-groove 10, in which the partition or supplemental cover rests, and at each corner of the trunk just above the cleats 7 is placed a block 11, and between the blocks 11 are placed side curtain-rollers 12 and end curtain-rollers 13, the rollers being similar to ordinary spring shaderollers.

At each corner of the trunk and within the same and directly over the blocks 11 is hinged, as shown at 14 in Figs. 1 and 3, a corner-post 15, and these corner-posts 15 are composed of telescopic members,the upper section or memher 15 being adapted to slide into the lower member 15. These posts are of the form in cross-section shown in Fig. 4, the separate members thereof being composed of thin or sheet metal and being triangular in form in cross-section and the edges thereof being turned inwardly to form segmental flanges 15 As thus made the upper sections or members of the corner-posts are free to slide into the lower members and are of substantially the same length, and whenever it is desired to convert the trunk into a wardrobe the corner-posts are raised into the position shown in Fig. 1, and the upper sections or members are pulled out to their full length, and said upper sections or members are held in their projected, raised, or extended position by a spring-operated plug 16, mounted in a tubular casing 17, formed on or secured to the upper member or section and operating in or in connection with holes or openings 18, formed in the outer or lower member 15. It will be understood that one of these plugs is employed in connection with each post and each is provided with a knob or head 19, by which it is pulled inwardly against the operation of a spring 20, by which it is forced outwardly, as shown in Fig. 4. I also provide a top 21, which is adapted to be connected with the top members 15 of the corner-posts, as shown in Fig. 1, in any desired manner, said posts being preferably provided with lugs or projections 22, which enter corresponding holes in the corners of the top 21, and said top 21 may be composed of a thin board or of any suitable material, and in the drawings forming part of this specification I have shown said top provided with hooks 23 around the edges thereof, and the curtains 24., which are mounted on the spring-operated rollers 13, are preferably provided with cross-strips 25, which are adapted to be connected with said hooks 23, as shown in Fig. 1. Any suitable means, however, may be provided for conmeeting the curtains 24 with the top 21, and in Fig. 1 of the drawings the end curtains 24 are shown as raised and connected with the top 21, while the side curtains are wound on the rollers 12.

The corner-posts are adapted to be telescoped and to be folded into the trunk, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and in order that the said posts may be folded horizontally and lie one upon another, as shown in Figs. 1. 2, and 3, the corner-posts at one end are arranged at a point slightly higher than at the other, this being clearly shown in Fig. 3, the vertical distance between the points at which said posts are hinged being substantially equal to the transverse thickness of said posts.

In the operation of telescoping the upper sections or members of the posts within the lower sections the said uppersections or members slide entirely within the lower sections or members, and when the posts are raised into an upright position the upper sections may be raised or extended by taking hold of the tubular projection 17, in which the plug 16 is mounted.

It will be apparent that the wardrobe may be of any desired height, dependent on the length of the trunk and the number of the legs used, and it will also be apparent that the corner-posts at one end of the trunk must be slightly shorter than at the other end by reason of the fact that they are hinged at a higher point.

The bottom portion of the trunk may be used as a receptacle for articles of any kind or class, and it will also be understood that the top portion of the trunk above the partition or inner cover 8 may be similarly used, and the storage capacity of the trunk is substantially as great as though the wardrobe attachments were not provided. The topportion 21 is adapted to be disconnected from the telescopic posts and to be placed within the trunk when the said posts are folded therein, as shown in Fig. 3. In practice the top 21 is also provided with suitable suspending-hooks or other devices by means of which articles of clothing may be suspended therefrom; but these devices form no part of this invention and are therefore not shown.

Instead of connecting the curtains with the top 21 by means of hooks, as shown and described, I may employ any suitable or desired form of construction for this purpose, such as spring-operated laterally-movable rods mounted in tubes secured to the top of the curtains and operating in holes in the posts in the manner of ordinary shade-holders, and various other changes in and modifications of the construction herein described may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing its advantages. It will also be observed that the curtainsin moving up and down and when secured to the top fit within and between the end posts, and thus make a secure closure which prevents dust and dirt from entering the wardrobe, and the supplemental or inner cover or partition 8 may be locked in the closed position the same as the main cover6, and by means of this arrangement the bottom portion of the trunk may be used as a trunk even when the wardrobe is in use, and a tray may also be used in the trunk, and the wardrobe may be entered from either side or end.

It will thus be seen that I provide a trunk which may be easily folded into a wardrobe at any time and which may also be as easily reconverted into an ordinary trunk, and the construction by which I accomplish this result is simple and effective, strong and durable, and also comparatively inexpensive.

Having fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A trunk provided with a hinged cover, the corners of which are provided at a predetermined distance below the top thereof with hinged and telescopic posts which are adapted to fold into the trunk longitudinally thereof and adjacent to the sides thereof, said trunk being also provided immediately below the hinged posts with spring curtainrollers at the sides and ends thereof, said posts being adapted to be raised into an upright position, and the separate telescopic members to be extended and locked in the extended position, and a top portion connected with said posts and with which the said curtains are adapted to be connected, substantially as shown and described.

2. A trunk provided with a hinged cover, the corners of which are provided at a predetermined distance below the top thereof with hinged and telescopic posts which are adapted to fold into the trunk longitudinally thereof and adjacent to the sides thereof, said trunk being also provided immediately below the hinged posts with spring curtainrollers at the sides and ends thereof, said posts being adapted to be raised into an upright position, and the separate telescopic members to be extended and locked in the extended position, and a top portion connected with said posts and with which the said ourtains are adapted to be connected, said trunk being also provided below the spring curtainrollers with side and end cleats, and an inner partition or cover hinged thereto, substantially as shown and described.

3. A trunk provided with a hinged cover, the corners of which are provided ata predetermined distance below'the top thereof with hinged and telescopic posts which are adapted to fold into the trunk longitudinally thereof and adjacent to the sides thereof, said trunk being also provided immediately below the hinged posts with spring curtain-rollers at the sides and ends thereof, said posts being adapted to be raised into an upright position, and the separate telescopic members to be extended and locked in the extended position, and a top portion connected with said posts and with which the said curtains are adapted to be connected, said trunk being also provided below the spring curtain-rollers with side and end cleats, and an inner partition or cover hinged thereto, and said posts being triangular in cross-section and composed of thin metal, and the edges of which are provided with segmental rolls, substantially as shown and described.

4. Acombination trunk and wardrobe, comprising a trunk provided with telescopic corner-posts which are hinged therein at a predetermined distance below the top of the trunk, the posts at one end of the trunk being hinged at a higher point than those at the other end, substantially as shown and described.

5. Acorn bination trunk and wardrobe, comprising a trunk provided with telescopic corner-posts which are hinged therein at a predetermined distance below the top of the trunk, the posts at one end of the trunk being hinged at a higher point than those at the other end, and said posts being triangular in cross-section and composed of thin metal the edges of which are folded to form segmental rolls, substantially as shown and described.

6. A trunk provided at. the corners thereof with hinged telescopic posts which are adapted to be folded inwardly longitudinally of the trunk at the opposite sides thereof, the posts at one end being hinged at a point slightly higher than those at the other end, substantially as shown and described.

7. A trunk provided at the corners thereof with hinged telescopic posts which are adapted to be folded inwardly longitudinally of the trunk at the opposite sides thereof, the posts at one end being hinged at a point slightly higher than those at the other end, said trunk being also provided with a hinged cover, and with a supplemental hinged cover or partition placed therein below the hinged posts, substantially as shown and described.

8. Atrunk provided at the corners thereof with hinged telescopic posts which are adapted to be folded inwardly longitudinally of the trunk at the opposite sides thereof, the posts at one end being hinged at a point slightly higher than those at the other end, said trunk being also provided with a hinged cover, and with a supplemental hinged cover or partition placed therein below the hinged posts, and between said hinged posts and said supplemental cover or partition with curtainrollers, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in pres ence of the subscribing witnesses, this 26th day of July, 1900.

PETER JAMES WATSON.

Witnesses:

LoUIs FORMON, J os. T. NOONAN. 

